The perspective shifted back to Elysia. Perhaps because she had acted swiftly, the Black Sheep monster hadn't caused much damage; only one tree had been knocked down nearby.
"So, I appeared around the same time as that Black Sheep?" she mused inwardly, glancing upward. Just then, she spotted a Dimensional Rift slowly dissipating in the sky.
As she knew, her System first located a Dimensional Rift when drawing a new Identity, then ejected her through it. This meant that a "Birth"-type Rift had coincidentally opened here just as she initiated the draw. That explained why there had been no prolonged loading time—she had materialized instantly upon activation.
Elysia surveyed her surroundings. It appeared to be a residential area, with no shops or signs in sight. However, the young man who had spoken to her earlier had used English, strongly suggesting she was in either White Eagle or Great Britain.
After distancing herself from the slightly awkward spot where she had appeared, Elysia paused to wait. After all, a Dimensional Rift had opened here; surely government personnel would arrive soon?
"When the authorities arrive, I'll find out exactly where I am," Elysia thought. "Then I can get some proper identification. Unlike Sparkle, Elysia needs legitimate credentials."
While waiting, she held out her hand, and a small mirror materialized in her palm, sent through the Chat Group by Robin.
Even though she had been Elysia for a while now, this was the first time she had a chance to really examine her appearance.
Holding the mirror in one hand, she gently pinched a strand of pink hair falling across her forehead with the other, marveling at its softness and silkiness, like touching the finest silk.
In the mirror, the girl's light pink eyes shone with clarity, as if reflecting a sky full of stars. They were breathtakingly beautiful.
Even though she was just looking in the mirror, even though she was wearing an ordinary smile, Elysia felt her heart inexplicably healed by the sight. "I... I'm too beautiful!"
How could she explain it? Not long ago, when she had bragged about her looks to that young man, she had felt a twinge of embarrassment. But now, if she had to say it again, she doubted she would feel any shame at all.
If an average-looking person constantly praises themselves, it's undeniably narcissism. But if someone is truly breathtakingly beautiful, like an angel, then praising themselves isn't narcissism, right? It's just stating a fact.
"I think... I might be completely smitten with myself. What should I do?"
Beyond her exquisitely perfect and undeniably cute appearance, Elysia's most striking feature was undoubtedly her long, pink hair. Even compared to Robin, Firefly, and Sparkle, Elysia's hair was remarkably long.
It cascaded past her waist and hips, reaching mid-thigh. Despite her outfit containing no pink elements, the sheer volume and vibrant hue of her hair left most people with an overwhelming first impression of pink.
Speaking of pink, many people's first association might be "pink on the outside, dark on the inside," thanks to earlier anime tropes. Pink inherently symbolizes cuteness, beauty, gentleness, and purity. Thus, portraying a pink-haired character as someone with a sinister inner darkness creates a particularly striking contrast.
Elysia, however, was different. Her exterior was pink, and when cut open, she was pure pink through and through, without a trace of darkness.
She was true to herself, embodying the concept of authenticity.
As the mirror in her hand tilted downward, it naturally focused first on her exceptionally ample chest.
Well... no need for excessive adjectives. They were simply enormous. This meant that without the mirror, Elysia couldn't even see her legs or toes when she looked down normally.
Comparable in size to Firefly's, they were substantial enough to hold a drink without needing her hands, allowing her to sip through a straw.
Robin couldn't pull off such a feat, let alone Sparkle. The moment they let go, their drinks would spill all over them.
As the mirror continued its descent, a black thigh garter came into view, followed by black over-the-knee stockings.
Truthfully, Elysia felt white stockings suited her better than black ones, but this particular outfit was her signature Flame-Chaser attire from Honkai Impact 3rd.
In the game, Elysia had two distinct forms: her Flame-Chaser persona and her Herrscher form. For gameplay purposes, these were designed as separate playable characters.
But reality isn't a game. Whether it's the Flame-Chaser Ely or the Herrscher Ely, there's essentially no difference. This meant she should now be able to seamlessly use the skills of her Herrscher form.
However, after careful recollection, she remembered that in Honkai Impact 3rd, each Herrscher possessed a unique Authority. The Herrscher of Reason could create anything they had an understanding of, the Herrscher of the Void could manipulate imaginary space and numbers, and the Herrscher of Thunder could control Electromagnetism.
Yet Elysia, as both the Herrscher of Origin and the Herrscher of Humanity, possessed no Authority of her own.
In the game's lore, during Elysia's era, all Herrschers were inherently enemies of humanity and civilization, leaving no room for compromise. Elysia, however, was different. In her own words:
[Possessing a human appearance and character, breathing like a human, living like a human.]
[Experiencing joy, sorrow, despair, and hope, clinging to yesterday yet willing to embrace the future, she is called the Herrscher of Humanity—the Herrscher who embodies humanity itself.]
Thus, she possesses only the status of a Herrscher and the ability to control Honkai energy. Strictly speaking, as the Herrscher of Origin, the Authority of all twelve subsequent Herrschers evolved from her. This grants her the power to regress their Authority back to its primordial form—Honkai energy—effectively neutralizing other Herrschers' abilities.
However, since there are no other Herrschers in this world, this ability is largely useless.
Nevertheless, "Herrscher Transformation" remains her ultimate move. Though lacking Authority, her identity as the Herrscher of Origin grants her an output far surpassing that of any other Herrscher. She can unleash and manipulate nearly limitless energy.
As a bonus, she comes with a formidable Companion Honkai Beast.
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This section contains lore specific to those who have played [ Honkai Impact 3rd]. Readers unfamiliar with the game can disregard it, as it doesn't affect the main plot.
Elysia is a unique being who escaped from the Honkai Will (the "god" of Honkai). As the Honkai Will's daughter, she possesses a Herrscher-level affinity for and control over Honkai energy, but she was never granted any specific Authority. An unplanned creation, no Authority was reserved for her. However, her very existence implies immense potential: originating from the Honkai Will, she can return to it, bringing her humanity with her. This is the greatest variable in countless eras, offering a chance to sever the cycle of fate.
Thus, one could romantically say her Authority is humanity itself, but strictly speaking, she possesses no Authority at all.
(TL Note: Honkai Jesus as the community sometimes says)